Tuolumne man sentenced to 23 years and 8 months in prison for assault on former girlfriend

A Tuolumne man was sentenced to 23 years and 8 months in prison on Monday by a Tuolumne County Superior Court judge after pleading guilty to multiple violent felony charges stemming from an October 2015 assault of his former girlfriend.

Gabriel Deherrera, 38, pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threats, false imprisonment by violence and corporal injury on June 19, 2017, and had two prior assault with a deadly weapon convictions from 2006 and 2014, a Tuolumne County District Attorney’s Office press release said.

Deputy District Attorney Stephanie Novelli had been prepared with an argument detailing the violent incident on Oct. 3, 2015, with commitments to testify from two of Deherrera’s past victims if the case had gone to trial.

On Oct. 3, 2015, Deherrera chased the victim because she took his energy drink. The victim hid in nearby bushes while he slashed her tires.

When the victim returned to the residence and sat down on her bed, Deherrera told the victim “this is it” and told her he was going to kill her when he put his belt near her throat. Part of the assault was recorded on a cell phone, the press release stated, and the victim could be heard gasping for breath and pleading for her life.

The victim was eventually able to call off the assault but, when it was over, Deherrera threatened further violence if she told anyone what had happened.

Deherrera accepted the plea agreement offered to him and will serve at least 85 percent of his sentence due to his prior convictions.